Learn all about the beach’s namesake, Joseph Hamel, by reading a plaque attached to a massive stump.

The sign reads: “Hamel served as a member of the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission from 1959-1971. Hamel was actively involved with preserving and developing parks throughout the state, but was particularly fond of Bay View, where he was most instrumental in securing additional land, including the development of the beach. The Joe Hamel Beach was officially named in 1978.”

Bay View State Park was the home of Pat-Teh-Us, a Noo-Wha-Ah American Indian chief and signer of the Point Elliot Treaty. The town was named by William J. Mckenna, who set up the original townsite in 1884. The land for the original park was donated to the state in 1925 by the Skagit County Agricultural Association with the understanding that it would become a state park. Additional parcels were acquired up until 1968. The park site had once been a baseball field and racetrack.

Harvesting shellfish at the beach is not allowed due to high levels of bacteria, viruses or harmful chemicals.

Distance: 1 mile

Destination: End of beach

Difficulty: Easy

Elevation gain: None

Getting there: The beach is accessed from Bay View State Park. Take Highway 20 to Bay View-Edison Road (seven miles west of I-5). Turn north. The state park is four miles north of Highway. 20. Turn into the park, then turn left at the sign for Joe Hamel Beach.

The Trek: After parking in the lot, trek over the sandy berm and hit the beach.

The best time for this hike is when the tide is out or on its way out. There are a couple areas that are inaccessible when the tide is in, so be sure and check the tides before you set out.

From the south end of the parking lot, one can either venture to the south, the north or both. Trekking south, the beach ends at a private boat ramp. It’s only about 400 yards to the end of the line.

Returning to the lot and heading north, the way is rocky. Reaching the first of several breakwaters, make your way over the jumble of boulders.

Once on the other side, the makeup of the beach changes. The big rocks are replaced by sand. Lots of sand. And lots of eel grass. The green stuff is similar to the tops of green onions.

As the eel grass lays flat at low tide, seabirds and shorebirds patrol its green carpet in search of tasty morsels. Seagulls, along with numerous other types of birds, flock to the area. On this day, one seagull was having quite a time with a feisty crab. The more the seagull struggled with the entree, the more help he got from his feathered friends.

Rows of eel grass and plenty of driftwood mark the high-tide line. There’s also an abundance of seashells and pick-cleaned crab carcasses.

The waters of Padilla Bay tend to be shallow, so plenty of sediment is suspended in the water. This makes for a brownish hue.

Pass a bleached stump located just in front of a sprawling picnic area. The stump has a chain running through it. The picnic area boasts a shelter available by reservation.

Reach another tide break of rock. On the other side of it lies ever finer sand.

Hop over a smaller breakwater and continue on. The next breakwater can be skirted around at low tide.

Take time to roll over a rock and check what lies beneath. There is bound to be a bounty of squirming creatures. Make sure to return the rock to its original spot. After all, it’s the home of those sea creatures.

Along the way, several great blue heron staked out their spots upon rocks just above the water line. Disturbed, they angrily squawked as they flew off.

Continuing around the north end of the parking lot, the beach’s character changes once again. It now becomes a mud flat. There are plenty of signs of clams.

From this point on, access can be had only at low tide. Pass the remnants of some kind of stone structure as the beach becomes rocky once again.

At a large rock just before a mass of fallen trees, it’s time to turn around and start back.

Reaching the portion of the beach directly in front of the picnic area, venture up to the picnic grounds and check out the stump with the large chain looped through it.

After taking in all the fresh sea air you can handle, head back to the rig.